Mercedes-Benz B-Class to premiere at Geneva Motor Show

"With this new vehicle concept, Mercedes-Benz once again reasserts its role as the trendsetter among car brands," said Johannes Fritz, Director, Sales and Marketing, Mercedes Car Group, Dubai. "As a Compact Sports Tourer, the new B-Class is a family and recreational vehicle with incomparable added value in terms of design and dynamism."

One of the major advantages of the Compact Sports Tourer is the sandwich concept developed by Mercedes-Benz. Thanks to the space-saving arrangement of the engine and transmission partly in front of and partly beneath the passenger cell, the new B-Class offers the interior spaciousness of larger saloons and estate cars despite its compact external dimensions.

The B-Class also reaches new dimensions where variability and load capacity are concerned. Thanks to a height-adjustable load compartment floor, an asymmetrically divided, folding and removable rear seat unit plus an optionally removable front passenger seat, the Compact Sports Tourer is quickly and easily converted from a comfortable touring car to a practical van. Depending on the number and position of the seats, the load capacity can be increased from 544 to up to 2245 litres (with rear seats and front passenger seat removed). This corresponds to the load capacity of large estate cars. The maximum loading length is 2.95 metres.

Up-to-date petrol engines meet the need of the Sports Tourer concept for effortless performance and a high level of driving pleasure. There is a choice of four four-cylinder engines with outputs ranging from 95 hp to 193 hp.

The top-of-the-line B 200 TURBO is equipped with a new two-litre, four-cylinder engine which delivers a maximum torque of 280 Newton metres from as little as 1800 rpm thanks to turbocharging and intercooling, and maintains this value over a wide engine speed range up to 4850 rpm. This means that the most powerful of the Compact Sports Tourers accelerates from standstill to 100 km/h in just 7.6 seconds, takes the fifth-gear sprint from 80 to 120 km/h in 7.3 seconds and achieves a maximum speed of 225 km/h.

Innovations in the field of suspension technology have contributed greatly to a successful combination of agility, safety and comfort - with all these attributes enjoying equal importance.

A further special feature included as standard for the Compact Sports Tourer is the selective damping system which adapts the shock absorber response to the current driving situation. A soft shock absorber configuration ensures a high level of ride comfort during normal driving, while maximum damping force is applied when taking bends at speed to give the B-Class maximum stability.

The interior appointments likewise correspond to the high standard set by Mercedes Benz. The design and feel of the interior features complement each other, creating an atmosphere in which the occupants are immediately at ease to enjoy the high level of long-distance comfort. Standard specification includes a four-spoke steering wheel with multifunction buttons, an armrest between the front seats, power windows and tinted glass, plus high-quality trim of brushed aluminium on the centre console, tunnel and door panels.

Mercedes-Benz has grouped further design features which accentuate the sporty, elegant appearance or sporty attributes of the new B-Class into optionally available chrome and sports packages.